Australia elections 2022: Morrison admits defeat, Albanese will be the new PM

SYDNEY: Australia’s Labor Party was set to end nearly a decade of Conservative rule as the government was swept away in Saturday’s election by a wave of support from candidates who campaigned for more action on climate change and took power. could strike a balance. , Partial results showed Labor had made small gains, with Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s Liberal-National coalition being punished by voters and particularly affluent urban seats in Western Australia. The Greens and a group of so-called “Teal Independents” who campaigned for gender equality policies and tackling climate change made a strong showing, tapping into voters’ anger over inaction on the environment after some of the worst floods and fires . Australia,

“Tonight, I spoke to Anthony Albanese, Leader of the Opposition and incoming Prime Minister, and I congratulated him on his election victory this evening,” Morrison said.

Albanese, speaking at his party’s ceremony, said he wanted to unite the country and “end climate wars”.

“I think people want to come together, seek our common interest, look towards a sense of common purpose. I think people have enough divisions, what they want is a nation. We have to come together in the form and I intend to lead it.”

Albanese said he aims to make the oath faster so that he can attend a meeting of the Quad security group in Tokyo on Tuesday. He promised constitutional recognition and parliamentary representation for indigenous tribals as well as the establishment of an Anti-Corruption Commission.

minority government possible

In the results so far, Labor alone was yet to reach 76 of the 151 lower house seats needed to form a government. Final results may take time as the record number of postal votes has been counted.

With 60% of the votes counted, Labor had 72 seats and Morrison’s coalition had 55. Independents and the Greens had 11, as estimated by the Australian Broadcasting Corp. Doubt remains on another 13 seats.

Centre-left Labor had a decent lead in opinion polls before the election, although polls showed the Liberal-National government narrowing the gap in the final phase of the six-week campaign.

turning mounds

Treasurer Josh Frydenberg, in one of the biggest hits for the government, said it would be “difficult” for him to hold on to Koyeong’s long-held Liberal seat in Melbourne against an independent newcomer.

Three volunteers working for Teal Independent Monique Ryan, who was challenging Frydenberg, said they joined Ryan’s campaign because they were concerned about the climate for the sake of their children and grandchildren.

“To me, it looks like this election seems really hopeful,” Charlotte Fourwood, with three adult children, told Reuters.

With Morrison stepping down as party leader and Frydenberg likely to lose his seat, Defense Minister Peter Dutton – a former Queensland policeman – was shaping up to be the favorite to lead the Liberals.

Early returns suggested the Greens had ground to take three seats in Queensland.

Greens leader Adam Bandt, who retained his inner-city Melbourne seat, said climate was a major issue for voters.

“There was an effort on the part of Labor and Liberals to bury it, and we were very clear about the need to deal with the climate, not dealing with coal and gas.”

Morrison and Albanese had earlier cast their votes in Sydney after doing a whistle-stop tour of marginal seats in the final two days of a campaign dominated by rising cost of living, climate change and integrity.

As Labor focused on inflation and sluggish wage growth, Morrison, a strong supporter of Australia’s coal industry, made the country’s lowest unemployment in nearly half a century the focus of the final hours of his campaign.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson congratulated the Albanians.

“Our countries have a long history and a bright future together. As thriving, like-minded democracies we work every day to make the world a better, safer, greener and more prosperous place.”